Insulator support for tower or mast type antenne



R L. JENNER Dec. 5, 1933.

INSULATOR SUPPORT FOR TOWER OR MAST TYPE ANTENNA! I Fi l ed April 6,1952 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR.

all ATTORNEYS R. L. JENNER INSULATOR SUPPORT FOR TOWER 0R MAST TYPEANTENNE Filed April 6; 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet -'2 IN VENTOR.

' A TTORNE YS Dec. 5, 1933. JENNER 1,937,964

INSI JLAIOR SUPPORT FOR TOWEROR MAST TYPE ANTENNZE I Filed April 6.1932. 3 Shee ts Sheet I5 INVENTOR.

F W ig w ATTORNEYS latentecl uec. a, 1:10..)

INSULATOR s SUPPORT Foa rowan on MA T TYPE ANTENNZE Ralph L. Jenner, LeRoy, N. Y., assignor to Lapp Insulator Company, York Application April6, 1932. Serial No. 603,519

20 Claims.

This invention relates to antennae of the rigid.

tower or mast type. An object of this invention is the provision ofmeans for insulating rigid tower antennae from ground and means foranchoring the same in place on its foundation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a tower type antennathat shall be supported on insulators and anchored in place to preventits tipping or turning'over, and to so construct and place insulatorsthat they are subject only to shear and compression loads, and to soarrange the anchoring member or members that the insulators embodiedtherein are subjected only to compression stresses While the tensionload is taken by steel or metal parts.

A further object of the invention is the. provision of a tower or masttype antenna in which the guy or guys therefor are located substantiallywholly within the sides of the tower.

Other objects of the invention will, in part, be apparent and will, inpart, be obvious from the following description taken in conjunctionwith theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view in side elevation of a tower or masttype antenna embodying one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line II--II of Fig. 1. showing thelocation of the guy in relation to the sides and corner supports of theantenna;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of an insulator corner support for an antennasuch as disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of a link, including tension membersand a compression insulating member, such as is disclosed in the guyshown in the structure of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of a tower or mast antenna, such as shownin Fig. l, and discloses a modified arrangement of guy therefor;

6 is a sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. '1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view, as

seen looking in the direction of arrows VII-VI[ of Fig. 5. discloses thelocation of the guys with relation to the sides of the tower or mastantenna, and the points of attachment thereof to the antenna and thecorner foundations thereof;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged view partly in side elevation andpartly insection, of the guy insulator shown in Fig. 5, with the guy rodsattached thereto; I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and-partly insection, along line IX-JX 1110., a corporation of New of Fig. 10, of amodified form and illustrates tower antenna and anchoring devices;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 9, the cornermembers of the antenna being shown in section; and

Fig. 11 is a view partly in sectionof a supporting insulator, such asshown at the corners of the tower antenna of Figs.

9 and 10.

Throughout the drawings and the specification, like reference charactersindicate like parts.

In the drawings, an antenna 1 of the rigid tower or mast antenna type isshown. The antenna is fabricated from stru gle and channel bars,accordance with stand ctural shapes, such as an--, assembled and erectedin ard known practice. An-

tenna: of this type are usually provided with a telescoping tube 2 atthe top and'built to a height equaling a substantial fraction of thewave length to be transmitted.

The antenna may be is to say, it may be shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5

sided, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

of'any desired form, that a three-sided tower, as and 7, or it may befour- The configuration of the mast or the number of sides is of more orless minor importance. As diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1, the tower isa built-up structure supported on foundations 3 by means of insulatorswhich carry the entire load of the tower. As

sh'own, the insulators are associated with the leg or corner members 6of the tower and each is so disposed between-its associated legs andfoundationas to avoidthe imposition of eccentri the insulators.

C compression strains on In Fig. 3 I have shown a-detail arrangement ofinsulatorswhich may be employed in connection with each leg 6 of thetower. As there illustrated, the insulator is an assembly of twotruncated cone-shaped members 4 and 5 formed of refractory material,such as porcelain, and

so arranged that their other.

apexes are adjacent each The base of the conical member 4 is surroundedby a metallic member 11, which is bolted or otherwise secured to a shoe12, which is in turn suitably secured to the structural members whichconstitute.

a leg or corner member 6 of the tower. A similar structure is employedbetween the conical member 5 and the foundation 3 and as illustrated,consists of a flanged ring 10 which is bolted to the foundatlonB andprovides a recess base of the member 5 for the reception of the In orderto ensure the proper alignment of the members 4 and 5, each is providedwith a separate metal cap-7. or 8-.-

andthese caps are cen tered by means of a dowel or lug 9 formed on oneand projecting into a recess orv aperture formed on the other. With thisarrangement it is impossible to impart tension strains to either of themembers 4 or 5, since the caps 7 and 8 are loosely held in position andlateral displacement is prevented by means of the dowel 9.

In order to prevent the tower from tipping over when subjected tolateral forces such as wind pressure, a hold down device or guy 13 isprovided between the tower structure and an anchoring device such as thefoundation anchor 15 disclosed in Fig. l of the drawings. In thatembodiment of the invention, the guy member is'se'cured to the towerstructure at a point 14, which lies in the major axis of the tower andconsequently the legs 6 and the insulator supports therefor aresymmetrically arranged around the point of attachment between the guyand the structure. The guy also extends along the 'axial line of thetower and therefore the anchoring means 15 is located centrally betweenthe triangularly arranged foundations 3.

Each link of guy 13 comprises a compression member 16 and tensionmembers 17 and 18 so arranged that, when the guy is under tension, thetension members act to place the compression member in compression.

The compression member comprises a truncated hollow cone 19 of ceramicmaterial, such as porcelain having a thrust cap 20 of forged or castmetal mounted on the apex, there being a yieldable substance 20 betweenadjacent surfaces, as shown.

Tension member 17 comprises a thrust plate 21, having a fiange'22 whichembraces the base of cone 19, the plate forming an abutment for thecone, a plurality of rods 23 adjustably secured to the plate, and aclevis 24 having a flange portion to which the rods are adjustablysecured.

Tension member 18 is shown as an eye-bolt extending through the cone andhaving a nut 25 at its upper end which bears on the thrust cap 20. Theeye of the bolt is adapted to be secured to the clevis of an adjacentlink by means of a clevis pin 26.

By coupling a series of such links together as described above, a guy ofany suitable length may be formed. A guy so constructed, thereforeconsists of a series of alternately disposed tension and compressionmembers, and serves a two-fold purpose; (1) it affords the strengthnecessary to resist tipping or overturning of the tower or mast; and (2)it insulates the tower from ground at the point where the guy isanchored therein.

The uppermost insulator of the series is connected to the tower at apoint in its vertical axis and the lowermost member or link is connectedby means of a turnbuckle 27 to a rod 28 anchored in the foundation 15.The turnbuckle is adjusted until the tower is held firmly in position onits foundations. If the tower tends to sway, the guy is placed underfurther tension and resists tipping of the tower about any one of thecorners thereof.

Since guy 13 is coaxial with the vertical axis of the tower, it isdisposed wholly within the sides thereof. Hence, the space required fora mast or tower antenna of this type is reduced to a minimum.

An alternate type of guy is shown in Figs. 5, 7, and 8. This comprisesan insulator 28 of truncated cone shape supported by the tower at alized between each tends upwardly through an po nt in its vertical axis.The cone is mounted in a flanged retaining and thrust member 30 havinglugs 31 thereon disposed at right angles to the respective sides of thetower (see Fig. 7).

The retaining member is provided with a removable base or clampingmember 32 which is provided with lugs 33 located in the same relativeposition as the lugs 31 on the retaining member. The inner ends of oneseries of horizontal ties or tension members 34 of the tower aredisposed between the ings of the retaining member and the base or clampportion and are bolted in place as shown.

The base or clamping member is provided with bosses 35 located betweenthe lugs 33 and to these bosses upwardly inclined compression or tensionmembers (not shown) may be secured in order to tie the converging endsof members 34 to the corner members 6 of the tower for the purpose ofresisting the downward thrust of the guy imposed on the inner ends oimembers 34..

The apex of the insulator 28 carries a cast or forged metal cap 36having a lug that projects through an aperture formed in a thrust member37 of cup shape disposed'over the cap. The thrust member is so arrangedthat there may be freedom of movement between it and the cap.

Guy rods 39 are attached to member 37 and anchored in the cornerfoundations oi the tower. The guy rods may be disposed 120 apart so asto resist swaying or tipping of the tower in any direction. Tofacilitate the attachment of the guy rods to the member 37, a clevis 40is provided for each rod and is designed to receive the edge of member37. A clevis pin 41 passing through the wall of member 37 and the clevissecures each guy rod in place.

guy rods have turnbuckle v The lower ends of the connections 42 witheye-bolts 43 (only one of which is shown) embedded in foundations 3. Byadjusting the turnbuckles, the loading at the corners of the mast may beequalized and ad-- justed to hold the mast firmly in place.

With this form of construction, the insulator supports at the corners ofthe mast have freedom of movement and they are always subjected tocompression and shear loads, but are never subjected to tension loads.The guy rod insulator is also always in compression and never intension. Also the guys are disposed substantially wholly Within thesides of the tower and out of the way.

In Figs. 9 and 10 a modified tower construction and insulator support isshown. In this form, four foundations are provided since the tower is afour-sided structure and requires a support at the four corners thereof.In base insulator 44 for each corner or foot is uticorner of the towerand its foundation. cated ceramic or porcelain cone, the base of whichis mounted in a retaining member 45 which is bolted to the foundation.The upper end of the cone carries a bearing member or cap 47 which isprovided with a dowel or lug 48 that exaperture formed in a corner plate49 of the tower. The tower thus has freedom of movement on the insulatorcaps 4'7 so that in case the tower sways, the insulator supportingmembers will not be subjected to tension loads. If desired. someyieldable material or compound 50 may be interposed between theinsulator, the cap and the retaining member to form a cushiontherebetween. A rain shield 51 may be attached to the cap ii desired ornecessary.

This insulator comprises a trun this form only one In order to anchorthe tower on its foundations, struts 52 are secured to the corners ofthe tower. These struts slope inwardly and upwardly towards the verticalcentral axis of the tower and tied together by an insulator supportingand retaining member 53 to which they are secured. The retaining membercarries a truncated cone 54 of porcelainor ceramic material, which hasfreedom of movement in the retaining member. The upper end of the conecarries a cap 58 through which a guy or anchor rod 56 extends. This rodis threaded at its upper end to receive a nut 57 and has its lower endanchored ina foundation 59. By tightening nut 57 the desired initialloading may be imposed on the corner insulator supports 44 so that themast ortower will be rigidly and firmly held in place on its foundationagainst any tendency to tip or sway.

The guy rod insulator 54 and the corner supporting insulators 44 beingsubjected only to compression loads, the] maximum strength of theceramic materials, of which they are made, is utilized.

While the guys herein disclosed have been shown as being attached to thetower at a point in the central or vertical axis thereof, it is to beunderstood that the guys may be attached to the sides of the antenna andanchored in the ground. In such case the guys may be attached to thetower sides at points a, b, and 0 '(see Fig. 'l) located any desired orefiective distance above the corner foundations.

In the various forms of antenna structure embodying the invention, itwill be observed that the insulator supports on which the cornerstandards or legs of the antenna structure rest provide singlecapacitative impedance paths to ground. The impedance paths of Fig. 1,each comprise a single line of articulated insulators, whereas in Fig.9.

these paths are constituted by single insulators under each cornerstandard or leg.

While various modifications and changes may be made in the inventionherein shown and described without departing from either the spirit orthe scope thereof, it is to be understood that only such limitationsshall be placed on the invention as are imposed by the prior art and theappended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a radio wave transmitting antenna of the of themast or tower type having a height equal to a substantial fraction ofthe wave length to be transmitted, and foundatlons, of insulators oftruncated cone shape mounted with their bases on the foundations underthe corners of the antenna to support the antenna thereon, the towerbeing so supported by thev insulators as to have freedom of movementthereon, and means connected to the tower near its lower end and actingalong the vertical axis thereof to anchor the tower and resist tippingthereof about the corner supports.

2. The combination with a radio wave transmitting antenna of the toweror mast type fab rieated from structural shapes to a height equaling asubstantial fraction of a wave length to be transmitted, foundationsupports under the corners thereof, and insulator supports interposedbetween the tower corners and the foundations, there being a looseconnection between the insulators under each corner to provide freemovement of the tower at the corners to avoid the loading of saidinsulators in tension, of insulated guys attached to the tower andground and located substantially wholly within the sides .of the towerand acting along the vertical axis of the tower to resist tippingthereof, said guys being made up of alternate tension and compressionmembers, the compression members being of insulating material.

3. The combination with an antenna of the tower ormast type fabricatedfrom structural shapes, having foundation supports under the cornersthereof and insulator supports interposed between the tower corners andthe foundations, there being a loose connection between the insulatorsunder each corner to provide free movement-of the tower at the cornersto avoid the loading of said insulators in tension, of a truncated coneinsulator secured to the tower at a point in the vertical axis thereof,a metal cap on the apex of said cone insulator, and tension guy memberssecured to said cap and the foundations, said guys being locatedsubstantially wholly within the sides of the tower.

4. The combination with an antenna of the tower or mast type built up ofstructural members in the form of a right polyhedral pyramid havinginsulator supports interposed between the corners of the tower and thefoundation to take the full load of the tower, of a supporting framesecured to the tower corners, said frame sloping inwardly and upwardlyand converging at the vertical axis of the tower, a truncated coneinsulator secured to the top of the frame with its vertical axis in linewith the vertical axis of the tower, and a guy rod having one endanchored in a foundation at the base of the vertical axis and its otherend extending through the insulator 110' and anchored in place at theapex of the same so that the rod is loaded in tension and the. insulatorin compression.- 7

5. The combination with an antenna of th tower or mast type fabricatedfrom structural shapes, having foundation supports under. the cornersthereof and insulator supports interposed between the tower corners andthe foundations, there being a loose connection betweenthe insulatorsunder each corner to provide such freedoor of movement of the tower atthe corners as to avoid the loading of said insulators in tension, of atruncated cone insulator secured to the tower at a point substantiallyin the vertical axis thereof, a metal cap on the apex' of. said coneinsulator, and tension guy members coupled to said cap and to ground,said guys being located substantially wholly within the sides of thetower.

6. In an antenna of the self-supporting vertical mast type, a relativelyslender vertical tower having a plurality of diverging legs, insulatorsupports under each leg of the tower, there being a connection betweenthe supports and the tower such that there may be relative movementbetween them so as to avoid loading the supports in tension, a pluralityof tension members anchored to the ground and converging upwardly withinthe tower towards the vertical axis thereof, and means including atleast one insulator in com pression for coupling the converging ends ofthe tension members to the tower, said tension members and couplingmeans forming an anchor adapted to resist tipping of the tower aboutsaid insulator supports.

7. An antenna of the self-supporting vertical 5 mast type, comprising arelatively slender tower having a plurality of diverging legs, asupporting insulator under each leg, structural members connected tolegs of the tower and converging upwardly, anchor means connected tosaid mem- 150 bersand exerting hold-down forces and means insulating thetower from ground through'the impedance paths formed by said anchormeans.

8. A broadcasting antenna structure adapted to function effectually as asingle vertical conductor comprising a vertical tower or mast of aheight equal to a substantial fraction of the wave length to betransmitted and built up of structural members and mounted onsymmetrically arranged insulators, and hold-down devices insulated fromthe tower and rigidly coupled to sides of the tower between pairs of thesupporting insulators, said devices exerting substantially whollyvertically acting hold-down forces that resist tipping of the structure.

9. A mast type antenna comprising a builtup frame structure includingstandards and cross members, an insulating support for each standard, aninsulator supported coaxially of the structure adjacent the basethereof, and a single hold-down device anchored to ground and coupled tosaid coaxial insulator so as to place the same in compression.

10. A mast type antenna comprising a builtup frame structure includingstandards and cross members, insulating supports for standards of thestructure, an insulator supported coaxially of the structure adjacentthe base thereof, and a plurality of guy members anchored to the groundand coupled to said coaxial insulator so as to place the same incompression.

11. A radio wave transmitting antenna of the vertical mast typecomprising a relatively tall slender tower adapted to functioneffectually as a single vertical conductor and which is of a heightequal to a substantial fraction of the wave length to be transmitted,said tower being fabricated from metallic members and having downwardlydiverging legs, an insulator support for each leg, rigid strutsconnected to such legs near the bottom of the tower, a tension memberconnected to said struts, means connected to said tension member foranchoring said tower to ground, and means for insulating said tensionmember from said struts.

12. A radio wave transmitting antenna of the vertical mast type adaptedto functioneilectually as a single vertical conductor and being of aheight which is a substantial fraction of the wave length to betransmitted, said antenna comprising a rigid multi-sided structureconstructed of electrically and mechanically connected corner standardsand cross members, insulator supports under each of said standards andforming with each standard single capacitative impedance path to ground,a plurality of symmetrically spaced substantially wholly verticallyacting hold-down means secured to cross members, and means forinsulating the structure from ground through the paths provided by saidholddown means.

13. A radio wave transmitting antenna of the vertical mast type adaptedto function effectually as a single vertical conductor and of a heightwhich is a substantial fraction of the wave length to be transmitted,said antenna comprising a rigid multi-sided structure constructed ofmechanically and electrically connected corner standards and crossmembers, support insulators under standards of such structure, andsubstantially wholly vertically acting hold-down means secured to andinsulated from portions of the structure included between and securedtocorner standards near the lower ends thereof to resist over-turning ofthe structure. i

'14. A radiowave transmitting antenna of the vertical mast type adaptedto function effectually as a". single vertical conductor and ofa heightwhich is a substantial fraction of the wave length to be transmitted,said antenna comprising a rigid multi-sided structure constructed ofmechanically and electrically connected corner standards and crossmembers, single lines of sym metrically arranged and articulatedinsulators under standards of such structure, and symmetrically arrangedsubstantially wholly Vertically actinginsulated hold-down memberssecured to cross members in sides of the tower structure for resistingoverturning of the structure.

15. An antenna ofthe self-supporting vertical mast type and of a heightequaling a substantial fraction of the wave length to be transmitted,that comprises a relatively slender tower having a plurality ofdiverging legs, an insulator support under each-leg, rigid struts, nearthe lower end of th'e'tower, disposed between and connected to the towerlegs, and insulated anchor means connected to such struts for exertingsubstantially wholly vertical hold-down forces for resisting overturningof the tower.

l6. An antennastructure of the vertical mast type constructed tofunction effectually .as a vertical conductor and being a substantialfraction of a wave length in height," said structure comprising arelatively slender tower fabricated from metallic members and havingdownwardly diverging legs, a supporting insulator for each-leg,'rigid'struts included between and secured to legs=of the towerrelatively near the bottom thereof, and an insulatedtension memberconnected to said struts and anchored in the ground for exertinghold-down forces that resist overturning of the structure.

17. A radiof'wave transmitting antenna of the vertical mast type capableof functioning effectually as a single vertical conductor, said antennabeing'of'a height which isa substantial fraction of the wave length tobe transmitted and comprising a rigid multi-sided structure includingmechanically and electrically connected corner standards and crossmembers, insulator supports under standards of said structure andforming with such standards single capacitative impedance paths'toground, and aplurality of symmetrically spaced insulated tension memberssecured to symmetrically spaced portions of the structure includedbetween corner standards for exerting substantially wholly verticallyacting hold-down forces that resist overturning of the sti'ucture' 18. Aradio wave transmitting antenna of the vertical mast type adapted tofunction effectually as a single vertical conductor and having a heightwhich is a substantial fraction of the wave length to be transmitted andwhich comprises a rigid multi-si-ded structure including mechanicallyand electrically connected corner standards and cross members, singlelines of symmetrically arranged .and articulated insulators under cornerstandards, and insulated hold-down means secured to a portion of thestructure near the lower end thereof and included between cornerstandards for exerting hold-down forces that resist overturning of thestructure. a i l i 19. A radio wave transmitting antenna of the verticalmast type having a'height equaling a substantial fraction of the wavelength to be transmitted and which comprises a rigid multi-sidedstructure adapted to function effectually as a singlet verticalconductor,- said structure being 1,270 I ,avu.

constructed of mechanically and electrically conwhich comprises arelatively slender tower havnected corner standards and cross members,sining a plurality of diverging legs, an insulator supgle linesofarticulated insulators under standport under each leg, rigid struts nearthe lower ards of such structure, and symmetrically posiend of the towerdisposed between and connected tioned insulated hold-down memberssecured to to such legs, and insulated anchor means concross members insides of the structure for renected near the bottom of the tower to suchstruts sistin'g overturning of the same. for exerting hold-down forcesthat resist over- 20. An antenna of the self-supporting vertical turningof the mast.

mast type and of a height equaling a substantial RALPH L. JENNER.

' 10 fraction of the wavelength to be transmitted,- v I 3 I v v 40 I I tY I I I I 60 I its

